HARRISBURG — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Juan Rivera Marrero a/k/a “Viejo” a/k/a “Charlie,”, age 57, currently residing in Dauphin County Prison, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on November 13, 2019, to 60 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo, for drug trafficking and money laundering.

According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Marrero previously pleaded guilty to money laundering and to conspiring with others to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine in the York County, Pennsylvania area between May 2015 and May 2017.  Marrero admitted to purchasing bulk quantities of cocaine from Luis D. Baez-Sierra, who was obtaining narcotics through the United States mail sent from Puerto Rico to York, Pennsylvania.

Marrero was originally charged in May 2017, with seven codefendants.  The following codefendants were sentenced:

  • Henry Delgado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms and more of cocaine hydrochloride and was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment;
  • Jean Carlos Torres-Santiago pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and heroin and sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment;
  • Charlie Abdiel Cruz-Velez, pleaded guilty conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment;
  • Chayann Torres-Santiago pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment; and
  • Angel Santiago-Torres pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.

The following codefendants are awaiting sentencing:

  • Ramon Puig Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydrochloride; and
  • Luis D. Baez-Sierra pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydrochloride.

The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  Assistant United States Attorney Daryl F. Bloom is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.

This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.

           

# # #